Satellite News

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the launch schedule for Telesat’s broadcast and telecommunication satellite, Telstar 12V, by H-IIA Launch vehicle No. 29 (H-IIA F29).

A problem recently discovered in two sensors in the propulsion system of the entry, descent and landing demonstrator module has prompted the recommendation to move the launch of the ExoMars 2016 mission aboard a Proton rocket, initially foreseen in January, to March – still within the launch window of early 2016.

Russia’s space start-up Yaliny, which intends to create a constellation of satellites in orbit to provide global Internet access, has concluded an agreement with Kosmotras on the launch of its satellites using the Dnepr rocket.

The Dynetics and Aerojet Rocketdyne (AJRD) team recently performed with its NASA partner, the second successful gas generator test series of the F-1 engine as part of the Space Launch System (SLS) Advanced Booster Engineering Demonstration and/or Risk Reduction (ABEDRR) contract.

ASTROSAT, the satellite for the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial objects, is scheduled for launch on 28 September on 0430 UTC on board the launch vehicle PSLV C-30.

Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to develop and produce the thermomechanical systems for the European Service Module (ESM) on the Orion spacecraft.

The European Space Agency has extended until 2017 the maintenance and development contract of the SMOS (Soil Moisture & Ocean Salinity) mission user segment, entrusted to Indra. The service could thereafter be extended for another two years, until 2019, depending on the programme’s development.

Boeing said it has no interest in selling off United Launch Alliance (ULA), despite a bid by Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc.